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Food for Thought

Chris Attkins supplies an informative piece about Robin Gray and Alec Reid, who respectively produce marvellous organic vegetables and most of Arran's milk.

Written by Chris Attkins
Thursday, 28 August 2008

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FWAG Local Food & Farm Day, Saturday 23rd August

Have you ever visited Robin Gray’s small holding? ‘Small’ gives the wrong impression, for Robin now works 36 raised beds on one plot alone, growing everything from sugar snap peas to exotic beetroot. In one of his poly tunnels visitors are astonished to be offered peaches, picked from two-year-old trees, and on another field a rainbow of squash varieties stretches as far as you can see.

Anyone serious about growing more produce on Arran would do well to visit Robin, who is enthusiastic, pragmatic and very willing to share his knowledge. Better still, why not offer to lend a hand, for what better way is there of experiencing just what a lot of hard work is involved?

The end result most certainly justifies the means: those colourful squash, oven baked with nothing more than a little oil, salt and pepper, proved irresistible, as did baby broad beans and white beetroot roasted with elephant garlic. The luscious flavours of fresh organic produce clearly demonstrate the deleterious effect of food miles, quite apart from the added cost and carbon these entail.

Alec Reid took over Claughlands dairy farm forty years ago, starting with just 30 cows. The farm is now the source of 80% of Arran’s milk, produced by 270 cows on 600 acres.

Milk production is not a business for the fainthearted. Ever stricter regulations and a desperate shortage of labour, combined with a collapse in purchase price, has forced Alec to invest serious money in a sophisticated semi-automatic milking parlour and supporting infrastructure.

Just as the price Alec was offered for his milk increased to that of the previous decade, oil-related price increases wiped out any real gain. Feed and fertiliser costs continue to escalate, more than doubling in the last year alone, with no indication of stabilising. So what keeps Alec motivated? A passion for Arran’s independence as a quality producer of cheese, ice cream and other products, combined with a personal determination to maintain local food production.

Both on Holy Isle and Arran, everyone putting food on our plates is working hard, often for little reward. Those of us keen to support our islands’ Transition towards self-sufficiency had better get our sleeves rolled up – or at the very least make a point of appreciating the exceptional efforts of those who do.

Thanks to Tommy Loudon of FWAG for organising two really informative field trips. You can see short video presentations from both days at www.ArranOnline.com

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